Household Food Waste in Morocco: An Exploratory Survey in the Province of Kenitra

Chaimaa Belfakira, Zakia Hindi, Amina Lafram, Samir Bikri, Asmaa Benayad, Hamid El Bilali (), Susanne Gjedsted Bügel, Dominika Średnicka-Tober, Patrizia Pugliese, Carola Strassner, Laura Rossi, Lilliana Stefanovic and Youssef Aboussaleh
Additional contact information
Chaimaa Belfakira: Department Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco
Zakia Hindi: Department Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco
Amina Lafram: Department Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco
Samir Bikri: Department Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco
Asmaa Benayad: Department Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco
Hamid El Bilali: International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-Bari), Via Ceglie 9, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
Susanne Gjedsted Bügel: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, 1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Dominika Średnicka-Tober: Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159c Nowoursynowska Str., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Patrizia Pugliese: International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-Bari), Via Ceglie 9, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
Carola Strassner: Department of Food–Nutrition–Facilities, FH Münster University of Applied Sciences, 48149 Münster, Germany
Laura Rossi: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics—Research Centre for Food and Nutrition (CREA—Food and Nutrition), 00178 Rome, Italy
Lilliana Stefanovic: Section of Organic Food Quality, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, University of Kassel, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
Youssef Aboussaleh: Department Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: The data from the United Nations Food Waste Index 2021 suggest that food losses and waste represent a pressing challenge, even in developing countries. This study investigates food waste in Morocco, specifically focusing on Kenitra province (northwestern Morocco). It quantifies the food waste types and quantities in Kenitra households and explores the underlying causes. Conducted in 2022, the research involved 442 respondents aged 18 and above, utilizing both face-to-face and online surveys. The findings reveal bread as the most wasted item, with minimal waste of meat and cereals. On average, households discard 361 g of bread per week, 98 g of fresh produce, and 9 g of cheese. The primary causes of food waste are difficulties in reusing small leftovers (32%), followed by challenges in meal preparation with available ingredients (34%). This study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to address food waste effectively in Kenitra. By shedding light on waste dynamics and causes, it contributes to understanding this critical issue and offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders working to implement strategies for reducing food waste and promoting sustainable consumption practices.

Keywords: survey; household food waste; food security; sustainability; Kenitra; Morocco; SysOrg (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/11/4474/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/11/4474/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:11:p:4474-:d:1401486

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().